The skirmish took place in the jungles of Kistaram police station area when a joint team of security personnel was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Special Director General of Police (anti-Maoist operations) DM Awasthi told PTI.

Based on specific inputs about movement of ultras, the composite squad of the Special Task Force and the District Reserve Guard launched the operation late last night in Kistaram area, around 500 kms from here, he said.

The team came under heavy fire from Naxals this morning in the forests, leading to the gunbattle, Awasthi said.

After the Naxals fled, two bodies of their comrades besides a muzzle loading gun and a country-made pistol were recovered from the spot, he said.